Above Photo: On Thursday, April 26, a 50th anniversary celebration will feature a Vivaldi flute concerto with Principal flute Clay Ellerbroek.
Spring is in full swing at The Florida Orchestra with a fresh crop of music in all categories for all ages, including two Happy Hour Concerts in April.
Happy Hour Concerts (Thursday, April 5 & 26): Join friends after work for free drinks, live symphonic music and a meet-and-greet with musicians at the Straz Center. Bars open at 5:30 p.m. before the hour-long concert at 6:30 p.m. On Thursday, April 5, it’s a Fiesta with Latin-inspired music. On April 26, a 50th anniversary celebration features music that stands the test of time, from Raiders March to a Vivaldi flute concerto with Principal flute Clay Ellerbroek. The cost is $35 for general admission seating.
Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 26 (Saturday and Sunday, April 14 & 15): It’s a dynamo team, with award-winning conductor Elim Chan and pianist Louis Schwizgebel, who makes his TFO debut on Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 26, ‘Coronation.’ Also: Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1. Kids and teens get in free to this and all Tampa Bay Times Masterworks concerts.
Verdi’s Requiem (Friday to Sunday, April 20-22): A can’t-miss moment of the 50th anniversary season. For the first time in nearly 10 years, TFO performs Verdi’s massive masterpiece brimming with drama, passion and deep faith, featuring the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Michael Francis conducts.
Family Concert: From Rags to Mozart (Saturday, April 21): TFO’s Reed Trio, with oboe, clarinet and bassoon, will take kids on a journey through music spanning four countries and three centuries. Two concerts, at 10 and 11:15 a.m., in the Mahaffey Theater Atrium. Come early for the Instrument Petting Zoo. Best suited for children in Pre-K through 2nd grade. Admission is pay what you can at the door.
Celebrate Broadway (Friday to Sunday, April 27-29): Join The Florida Orchestra for the best part of Broadway – the music! Broadway star Daniel Narducci and the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay belt out showstoppers from Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Camelot and more. Bob Bernhardt guest conducts in this Raymond James Pops concert.
The Florida Orchestra performs regularly at the Straz Center in Tampa, Mahaffey in St. Petersburg and Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. Most tickets start at $15. Available at floridaorchestra.org or 727-892-3337 and 1-800-662-7286.
